Combined music rack and turner.



No. 792.304. PATENTBD JUNE18, 1905.

H. L. ABRAHAM.

COMBINED MUSIC BACK AND TURNER.

APPLICATION TILED MAR.12,1904.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1 No. 792,304. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905.

H. L. ABRAHAM.

COMBINED MUSIG RACK AND TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED IAB.12 ,1904.

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UNITED STATES Patented June 13, 1905.

HERMAN L. ABRAHAM, OF MARENG-O, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED MUSIC RACK AND TURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,304, dated June 13, 1905.

Application filed March 12, 1904. Serial No. 197,840.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN L. ABRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marengo, in the county of McHenry and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Music Back and Turner, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and reliable device for holding music in sheet or book form, which device will be so arranged that the sheets or pages of music can be automatically turned at the proper time by the operation of a simple releasing mechanism, so that it will not be necessary for the performer to remove his hands from the instrument during the playing of a musical composition longer than to press the lever operating the releasing mechanism, which operation is practically instantaneous, thereby enabling difiicult music to be rendered without break or interruption, so often caused by the necessity for turning the pages with the hand, and at the same time preventing the accidental displacement of the music from the rack, which may be occasioned by reason of drafts in the room or otherwise.

A further object of the invention is to so arrange the parts that the device may be readily attached to a piano or music-stand and detached therefrom and when so detached may be folded up to occupy a minimum amount of space.

Although the invention is primarily adapted for the holding of music, it is obvious that books, magazines, or pamphlets of the same general character can be held and the pages turned by the same device.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a view of the device as attached to a piano; Fig. 2, a side view of the releasing mechanism in its initial position; Fig. 3, a similar view in releasing position; Fig. 4, a view of the supporting rod and rack; Fig. 5, a top end view of the same, and Fig. 6 a bottom end view showing the rack partially folded.

The music rack and turner is constructed to have a central supporting-rod A, which, as shown, is held within a socket a in the music-rack a of a piano, and the supportingrod is held at its upper end by means of a plate (4 which may be located in the cover a of an upright piano. It is obvious, however, that in place of the method of supporting herewith shown the supporting-nod A may be held in a tripod stand of the ordinary construction. The supporting-rod has located thereon a rack B, which consists of upper cross-rods b, pivoted at their inner ends 6 to allow the sections of the rack to be folded on one another, and the rack is provided with side rails 5 connected with the top bars, and at the bottom of the rack is a shelf 6 composed of sections B, pivoted together at their center and to the rod by means of a hinge bflconsisting of ears B on the two sections, through which ears passes the rod, so that the entire rack can be folded together on one side of the supporting-rod when it is desirable to pack up the rack for shipping or otherwise. The rack portion of the device is completed by means of inner upright supporting-rods I), which serve to reinforce the rack and form a better support for the music to be contained thereon. The shelf is provided with a pair of clasps C of suitable construction, which clasps are preferably provided on their ends with rubber tips 0, so arranged that the clasps can be drawn back for the insertion of a book of music and then clamped to hold the music firmly onto the rack. It is likewise desirable to provide a pair of clasps 0 on the support ing-rod, which clasps are adapted to clamp onto the center fold of a book or sheet of music, although the clasps 0 may be dispensed with under some circumstances, if so desired. Above and below the rack are arranged a se ries of three adjacent collars (Z, which are rotatably mounted on the rod, and said collars form the pivotal support for a series of three turning-racks D, D, and D each of which consists ofoutwardly-extending upper arms d, rigidly connected one to each of the three collars, and similar lower arms (Z said lower arms being provided at their outer ends with downwardly-projecting shoulders (Z at the point of juncture with a series of connecting outer rods (Z which complete the rack for turning the pages of music. It is preferred adapted to connect with the outward ly-extending rods of the turning-racks, allowing the turning-racks to be moved or swung toward the right side of the supporting-rack under tension of the springs, which causes the turning-racksto automatically swing over toward the left side of the supporting-rack when the turning-racks .are released and the springs allowed to act.

The releasing mechanism for holding and releasing the turning-racks from their position on the right side of the supporting-rack consists of a rigid supporting-arm F at substantially right angles to the supporting-rod, and said arm is rearwardly bent or turned at its outer end to form a shoulderf, which shoulder terminates in an inwardly-extending finger f, which forms an abutment for one of the members of the releasing mechanism, and

the supporting-arm is provided with a releasing-trigger G, which consists of an operating arm or finger g, which is bent or turned atits inner end to form a shoulder G, and said shoulder when in its normal position will serve as an abutment for the shoulder (i of the turningracks, and said shoulder is bent or turned at its lower end to form a rearwardly-extending section g, provided with a bend or coil 9 which encircles the supporting-arm and forms a pivotal mounting for the releasing-trigger, which section g at its rear end is upwardly bent or turned at right angles at the point g and the releasing-trigger terminates in a forwardlyextending arm g, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. At the forward end of the arm 9 is a downwardly-extending stop-finger H, which is held in forwardly-projected position by means of a coil-spring it, but is adapted to be thrust back against the tension of the spring to allow for the turning-racks D and D to be thrust back behind the projecting finger, as shown in Fig. 2. The releasing-trigger is held in normal position by means of a spring 7L coiled upon the supporting-arm, and the releasingtrigger is adapted to be moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3 when it is desired to release one or more of the turning-racks. An outwardlyprojecting abutment I is provided on the supporting-arm, which abutment is adapted to contact the angle between the sections 9 and g, as shown in Fig. 2, to prevent the upward thrust of the releasing-trigger mechanism beyond a predetermined point, and said abutment cooperates with the abutting finger f, which isadapted to contact the angle between the sections 9 and g of the releasing-trigger mechanism when the parts are brought into the position shown in Fig. 3, thereby limiting the upward and downward thrust of the lever g, which operates the releasing mechanism. The device, as shown, is completed by means of a supporting-yoke 6, having thereon arubber collar 2'', adapted to rest against the musicrack of a piano when the parts are inserted into position, as shown in Fig. 1.

In use a book or pamphlet of music is inserted into place on the supporting-rack and the pages are turned until the last page of music to be played is found and the righthand clip 0 isturned down to clamp the righthand side of the book in place, after which the next preceding three leaves of music are inserted into place and clamped to the respective turning-rack bars, and when said three leaves of music have been so clamped the remaining leaves on the left-hand side of the book are clamped by means of the left-hand clamp C, and the music is then in position to be played. When in this position, two adjoining pages of music will be exposed, and when said two pages have been played the performer will pull down the releasing-lever g, which draws down the shoulder G out of contact with the outermost one of the turning-racks and at the same time brings the stopfinger H into the line of travel of the next succeeding turning-rack, thereby allowing the first turning-rack to be released and swung over by the action of the spring controlling it, exposing the next two succeeding pages of music, which can then be rendered and the turning operation performed as before. By means of the arrangement shown eight different pages of music can be rendered; but it is obvious that the number of turning-racks can be increased or diminished without in any way affecting the operation of the device. When it is desirable to fold up the device for. shipment or otherwise, the turning-racks can all be thrown over to the right-hand side, and the supporting-rack can then be folded up onto the same side, thereby decreasing the amount of space occupied by the device to a very appreciable extent.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the device is simple in construction and reliable in operation and that the parts are so arranged that the music can be firmly clamped into position and can be quickly and easily turned by the operator without interrupting or delaying the rendition of the com position which he is performing.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a combined music rack and turner, the

combination of a central supportingrod,a music-supporting rack consisting of atransverse bottom rail and top and end rails supported by the rod, a series of turning-racks consisting of end bars, and a connecting side bar, the end bars terminating in sleeves encircling the supporting-rod, springs coiled around the supporting-rod one for each of the turningracks, an outwardly-extending supportingarm below the music-supporting rack and rigidly secured to the central supporting-rod, a releasing-lever pivotally mounted on the supporting-arm and provided with a shoulder adapted to successively contact the turningracks, and to be thrown down out of the line of travel of said racks, acatch-finger connected with the releasing-lever and operable therewith to prevent the release of a rack as the next preceding rack is being released, and abutments for limiting the movement of the releasing -lever and parts attached thereto, substantially as described.

2. In a combined music rack and turner, the combination of a central supporting-rod, a music-supporting rack secured to the rod and consisting of two sections pivoted together and adapted to be folded one upon the other, turning-racks each consisting of side rails and end rails the end rails terminating in sleeves encircling the supporting-rod, springs coiled around the supporting-rod connecting one with each of the turning-racks, an outwardlyextending supporting-arm secured to the central supporting-rod, and terminating in a rear- Wardly-extending finger or abutment at the rear of the arm, an omrating-lever pivotally mounted on the arm and provided with a rearwardlyextending portion terminating in a forwardly-extending portion said rearwardlyextending portion adapted to have its movement limited by the finger or abutment, a catchfinger on the end of the forwardly-extended portion and operable with the releasing-lever to prevent the release of a turning-rack as the next preceding rack is being released, substantially as described.

3. In a combined music rack and turner, the combination of a central sup portin g-rod, a music-supporting rack secured to the rod and consisting of two sections pivoted together and adapted to be folded one upon the other, turning-racks each consisting of side rails and end rails, the end rails terminating in sleeves encircling the supporting-rod, springs coiled around the supporting-rod and connected one with each of the turning-racks, an outwardlyextending supporting-arm secured to the central supporting-rod and terminating in a rearwardly-extending finger or abutment at the rear of the arm, an operating-lever pivotally mounted on the arm and provided with a rearwardly-extending portion terminating in a forwardly-extending portion said rearwardlyextending portion adapted to have its movement limited by the finger or abutment,a catchfinger on the end of the f0rwardly-extended portion and operable with the releasing-lever to prevent the release of a turning-rack as the next preceding rack is being released, and a series of spring-clutches secured to the side bars of the turningracks for holding the sheets of music thereon, substantially as described.

HERMAN L. ABRAHAM.

Witnesses:

WVILLIAM H. Cun'riss, GEORGIE KIL'rZ. 

